Windsor Schools’ students made significant gains in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, according to the Spring 2016 Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC) results.

Spring of 2014 was the first time Vermont schools and students ever saw the Smarter Balanced Assessment, a standardized assessment that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards and measures students proficiency in English Language Arts and Math. Only a small percentage of Vermont Schools participated in the 2014 SBAC, as it was a Field Test year. It wasn’t until just last year, May of 2015, when all Vermont students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 were required to take the SBAC. Having recently completed the SBAC for the second round in May of 2016, schools now have two years’ worth of comparative data to determine whether or not students are making gains towards narrowing the achievement gap. Windsor Schools is proud to announce that students in grades 5, 6, 8 and 11 made significant gains towards meeting proficiency in English Language Arts. Grades 6, 8 and 11 showed a 10% or greater increase in student proficiency in English Language Arts from Spring 2015 to Spring 2016. Results were similar in the area of mathematics. The percentage of students demonstrating proficiency in mathematics at grades 8 and 11 increased by 15% or higher. Not an easy feat, considering how challenging the Common Core State Standards mathematics are. Way to go Windsor Schools!

The Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics are more rigorous than former assessment measures, like the NECAP. The Smarter Balanced includes performance tasks that require students to bring together a variety of skills to address authentic tasks and challenges.